He was born in Lubbock, Texas, to a musical family during the Great Depression, and learned to play guitar and sing alongside his siblings. His style was influenced by gospel music, country music, and rhythm and blues acts, and he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school. He made his first appearance on local television in 1952, and the following year he formed the group "Buddy and Bob" with his friend Bob Montgomery. In 1955, after opening for Elvis Presley, he decided to pursue a career in music. He opened for Presley three times that year; his band's style shifted from country and western to entirely rock and roll. In October that year, when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets, he was spotted by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall, who helped him get a contract with Decca Records.
Holly's recording sessions at Decca were produced by Owen Bradley. Unhappy with Bradley's control in the studio and with the sound he achieved there, he went to producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, and recorded a demo of "That'll Be the Day", among other songs. Petty became the band's manager and sent the demo to Brunswick Records, which released it as a single credited to "The Crickets", which became the name of Holly's band. In September 1957, as the band toured, "That'll Be the Day" topped the US "Best Sellers in Stores" chart and the UK Singles Chart. Its success was followed in October by another major hit, "Peggy Sue".
The album Chirping Crickets, released in November 1957, reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. Holly made his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1958 and soon after, toured Australia and then the UK. In early 1959, he assembled a new band, consisting of future country music star Waylon Jennings (bass), famed session musician Tommy Allsup (guitar), and Carl Bunch (drums), and embarked on a tour of the midwestern U.S. After a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, he chartered an airplane to travel to his next show, in Moorhead, Minnesota. Soon after takeoff, the plane crashed, killing him, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and pilot Roger Peterson in a tragedy later referred to by Don McLean as "The Day the Music Died".
During his short career, Holly wrote, recorded, and produced his own material. He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums. He was a major influence on later popular music artists, including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Weezer, and Elton John. He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in 1986. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 13 in its list of "100 Greatest Artists".
Come Back Baby
Buddy Holly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come back baby to me
Now I know why all sad hearts cry
Baby baby come to me
Ah well I cried all night ever since you left me
Nothing has gone right - oh lonely old me
I say come back baby - baby won't you come back
Come back baby to me
Baby baby come to me
When you left me all alone to sing the blues
I waited by the phone to get good news
That you would come back baby - baby won't you come back
Come back baby to me
Now you know I love you so
Baby baby come to me
Wo, come back baby to me
Buddy Holly's "Come Back Baby" presents a classic case of lost love and the emotional turmoil that arises from heartbreak. At the start of the song, the singer implores his lost love to come back to him, emphasizing how much he misses her companionship. He then reveals that he now understands why people with broken hearts often cry. The singer's constant pleading and repetitive use of the words "baby" and "come back" showcases how desperate he is to rekindle his romance.
The second verse cites the singer's inability to function normally after his heartbreak. He reveals that he cried all night, implying that he has not been able to find sleep since his heartbreak. The constant repetition of the words "lonely old me" highlights the emotional toll the heartbreak has taken on him. The chorus repeats once again, emphasizing the singer's dilemma, a longing for his lost love to return.
In the third verse, the singer reveals that he has been waiting by the phone since his heartbreak, expecting to hear from his lost love. He realizes that his situation will only improve if he is reunited with his love, further emphasizing his desire for her to come back. The song's climax repeats the chorus once again, showcasing the singer's desperation to be reunited with his love and undo the damage caused by their separation.
Line by Line Meaning
Come back baby - baby won't you come back
Please return to me my love, I am longing for you
Come back baby to me
Come back to my side, my heart needs you
Now I know why all sad hearts cry
Your absence has made me realize the pain of a broken heart
Baby baby come to me
My heart is restless without you, please come back
Ah well I cried all night ever since you left me
My tears have not stopped flowing since you departed
Nothing has gone right - oh lonely old me
My world is in turmoil, being without you has left me feeling desolate
When you left me all alone to sing the blues
You left me heartbroken and sad, I was left to face my sorrow alone
I waited by the phone to get good news
I hoped for any kind of positive sign, that you would be returning soon
Now you know I love you so
I love you deeply and unconditionally, please do not forget that
Wo, come back baby to me
I am begging you to return to me, my love
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: REG DWIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind